Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Springtime with My Favorites

After tax season we escaped to the coast for a few days. It was cold. And windy. And our hotel room was a little...erm...stinky and had a certain not-quite-clean feeling to it. And traveling with the children is not so relaxing as traveling without them. But breakfast at Maddie's was delicious as always.

And we took the best hike ever at Cape Sebastian.And we played hide-n-seek in the forest...counting.

And we almost got blooowwwnnn away. The wind!And he picked flowers. And guess what he did with them?

Lucky me :)

And we ate at Subway twice because the kids love it.And we sat in the hot tub, only I didn't because I forgot to pack my swimming suit.And we watched Tangled over and over. (Heaven help me, I really like that movie).

We really had fun. But after two days, we were totally ready to come home to our own beds and just the regular routine of our life - we were kind of excited to get settled back into it, post-tax season.

But as soon as we got home it was time for my brother's wedding and all the accompanying parties and festivities and company. Then Nate and Henry erupted in poison oak - worst cases I've seen in a loooong time. And I did several dozen loads of laundry. And applied copious amounts of ointment. And just when I had everything laundered and orderly and the scabs were starting to heal, Henry came down with the pukes. So last night I was up with him from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. - scrubbing the carpet (trying not to vomit myself), rubbing his back while he heaved, getting the big bowl out, just in case. Making a little bed for him on the floor next to mine. Listening to the rhythm of his breath, trying to determine whether there'd be another round of heaves. There was. One more. When his stomach had settled down for the night, I snuggled in next to him on the floor. He fell right to sleep. I lay awake - thinking, too stimulated to sleep.

Ironically enough, all I could think about was how completely I adore him and his sister. How thankful I am to be able to get up with them in the night when they're sick and hold them and reassure them. And clean up after them and tuck them into a sick-bed on the floor in mama's room. There are some background emotions at play, things I'm thinking about and feeling that amplify the tenderness I feel for my babes.